Northwestern University Ryan Center for the Musical Arts Certified LEED-NC Gold

Yesterday, October 8th, we were notified that the Ryan Center for the Musical Arts, a new 150,000 square foot music facility for Northwestern University, has been certified LEED-NC Gold by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). For this signature building designed by our friends at Goettsch Partners, Epstein served as the LEED consultant helping this building achieve its certification.

The Ryan Center provides Northwesterns Bienen School of Music the ability to consolidate all of its programs in one campus location for the first time in more than 35 years! This striking building also includes classrooms, teaching labs, academic faculty offices, teaching studios for choral, jazz, opera, piano and voice faculty, practice rooms, student lounges and administrative offices. There is also a choral rehearsal/recital room, choral and orchestra libraries, an opera rehearsal/black box theater and a 400-seat recital hall.

The sustainable design features for this project include high efficiency and low-flow water fixtures which reduce potable water consumption which on a yearly basis will result in 316,311 gallons of waste water being used for irrigation. Additionally, 38,544,000 gallons of grey water will be captured annually and reused for sewage conveyance and irrigation. The result is a 100% reduction in potable water for irrigation. Lastly, the Ryan Center also features sustainable high SRI roofing material to reduce the heat island effect as well as energy efficient lighting to decrease energy consumption.

With the Ryan Centers certification, Epstein has now played a significant design, engineering and/or LEED consulting role in helping 47 buildings achieve LEED certification.